Originally Posted by
nwaf16dude
The guy playing the Captain on the new Pan Am show is 32 years old. I guess only actual airline pilots will realize how completely ridiculous that is.
It wasn't at the time. Flying Tigers (later FedEx, had a 21 year old 727 Captain) both he and his son are friends. Jets brought explosive growth to the carriers in the middle to late 1960's. The "competitive qualifications" back then would shock you. United was hiring with a PPL and training!
Another dear family friend, recently departed, made Captain at Delta in his second year of employment (Capt. Sonny McDowell)